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“Road safety in Greece”Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport

and Networks

Dr Evi BlanaSecretariat of Bi-ministerial Committee of Road Safety

UNECE-BSEC Conference on Improving Road Safety in the BSEC RegionIoannina, 18-19 November 2010

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Road safety organisation

� Bi-ministerial Committee of Road Safety

� Secretariat of Bi-ministerial Committee of Road Safety

� National Board of Road Safety

� General Directorate of Road Safety, Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks

� Road Traffic Police, Ministry of Citizen Protection; National Emergency Centre (EKAB)

� Road safety experts: Hellenic Institute of Transportation Engineers (SES), Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE –Road Safety Observatory), Hellenic Institute of Transport, Universities, Center for Research and Prevention of Injuries among the Young (KEPPA) etc.

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Road safety – strategic targets (base year: 2000)

� A’ Strategic Plan: Fatalities reduction by 20% up to year 2005.

� B’ Strategic Plan: Fatalities reduction by 50% up to year 2010.

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Road accidents in Greece the last decade

1641714652233396168101TOTAL

1463131419815147752009

1550141420121149912008

1612144221378154992007

1493135121391156522006

1470131122930166602005

1547137421322153992004

1613140922176157472003

1655145823861167562002

1911171227920196702001

2103186732482229522000

FATALITIESFATALACCIDENTS

INJURIESACCIDENTSYEARS

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Road accidents in Greece the last decade

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

ACCIDENTS

INJURIES

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

FATAL ACCIDENTS

FATALITIES

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Road accidents’ reduction

-30,43%-29,62%-39,00%-35,63%decade 2000-2009

-14,06%-12,63%-17,32%-14,30%

2 pentads: 2000 -2004 & 2005-2009

-0,48%+0,23%-13,58%-11,31%2005-2009

-26,44%-26,41%-34,36%-32,91%2000-2004

FatalitiesFatalities accidentsInjuries

Road accidentsTime period

• Target of A’ Strategic Plan: succeeded

• Target of B’ Strategic Plan: failed

However, it is estimated that 2010 will be the year with the less accidents compared to the base year (2000)

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Road accidents’ trends

� Contributory factors� Human error: 90.2%� Road environment: 8.2%� Vehicle defects: 1.6%

� Human error - Driver: 80.6%� Driver distraction: 17.9%� Priority violation: 16%� Excessive speed: 8.8%

� Human error - Pedestrian: 8.3%� Reckless crossing: 34.4%� No use of cross-walk: 18.1%� Walk on the road: 13.2%

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Major road safety projects [1]

� Development of the 3rd Road Safety Strategic Plan 2011 – 2020

� Action plan for immediate road safety remedial measures in Greece: ⇒ 22 measures proposed by the Minister of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks

� Feasibility study for site selection of pedestrian bridges on Attica roads

� Dismantlement of illegal road signs from main arterial roads (http://www.illegalsigns.gov.gr/)

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Major road safety projects [2]

� Short-term road safety remedial measures for blackspots’ improvement in Attica and Salonica

� Road Safety Expert service provision for road safety standards on the arterial roads AthinonAvenue and Pireaus Road and pilot implementation

� General Secretariat of Co-funded Projects: a 3-year road safety program has been authorised(EU approval is expected), with a budget of €500,000,000

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Under the 2nd Road Safety Strategic Plan (2005-2010), the Ministry has initiated a number of actions concerning the following:

� Highway Code

� Point System� Driver Certificate of Professional Competence� Drivers’ education/ test� Driving License� Road Safety Education at schools� Vehicles’ technical control� Campaigns – public awareness

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Highway Code

Restructuring of rules concerning:

� Horizontal and vertical road signs (for

tunnels, work-zones, bus-lanes)

� Vulnerable road users (pedestrians and bicyclists)

� Use of mobile phones

� Use of safety belt

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Point System (ΣΕΣΟ)

� Since July 2007 the Point System became more

strict: for two “serious” offences within a year, the driver is disqualified. The new driving license is issued after a new driving test.

� From July 2007 until today, 3826 drivers have been disqualified for various offences, 73% for two “serious”offences within a year.

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Driver education – Driving Test

� The new software (ΜΣΘΕΥΟ) for the theoretical testing of learner drivers has been completed and installed to all Prefectures’ testing centres

� Study for the development of test tracks for testing learner drivers

� All driver handbooks of learner drivers under modification.

� Driving Theory Test in Albanian, English and Russian languages.

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Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)

� PD 74/2008 harmonised the EU Directive 2003/59/ΕU for the initial and periodic training of professional drivers.

� Professional drivers need to complete 35 hours of periodic training every five years to retain their Driver CPC (starting 10/9/2013).

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Driving license

� Since 19/1/2009 the new EU driving license, credit-card type is available. The new driving licenses issued are mutually recognised by all Member States.

� The same issuing procedure (from the local Prefectures) but printing from the National Passport Center, Hellenic Police.

� The citizens are able to monitor the printing procedure of their new license via internet (Ministry website)

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The new EU-type driving license

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Traffic safety education for children

� Schools

� Traffic safety education lessons at the 3rd grade of

800 elementary schools

� Traffic safety education lectures from NGO and private companies

� The Pedagogical Institute is preparing the curriculum of road safety lessons for compulsory education

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Traffic safety education for children

� Traffic Education Theme Parks (TETP)

� 101 Traffic Education Theme Parks have been

constructed; operation by the municipalities

� Training of 100 new instructors to teach at the parks

� Handbook «Guidelines for traffic education at TETP) has been distributed to the instructors.

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Vehicle Technical Control Centers (KTEO-IKTEO)

� Public and Private VTCC equipped with motor vehicle test lanes, computer data systems linked with administration and test machines

� For new passenger vehicles: first checking after 4 years; rechecking: every 2 years.

� For HGV (>3.5tn), buses, coaches: every year.� The licensing for the first Motorcycles Technical Control Centres has started .

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Campaigns – Public awareness

� Public awareness for Highway Code modifications (3 millions copies distributed in houses).

� TV spots and radio messages in prime time.

� Press registrations

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The way forward…

� Harmonisation with the EU Strategic Plan for road safety: “Towards a European road safety area: policy orientations on road safety 2011-2020”

� 3rd Strategic Plan for road safety (2011-2020)� Implementation of the 22 immediate road safety remedial measures

� Focus on the vulnerable road users (pedestrians and cyclists)

� Upgrade of the greek motorway infrastructure � Better cooperation between governmental and non-governmental organisations and private companies